Published 8:53 pm, Thursday, August 10, 2017

Photo: Submitted Photo

Image 1of/3

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 3

Ryan Ray Moore

Ryan Ray Moore

Photo: Submitted Photo

Image 2 of 3

Brandan Douglas Rains

Brandan Douglas Rains

Photo: Submitted Photo

Image 3 of 3

An America's Best Value Inn and Suites in the 19500 block of Interstate 45 North is seen Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016, in Shenandoah. Shenandoah Police Department officers responded to a call of a possible suicide Nov. 25, but responding officers believed the death could possibly be more than just a suicide. less

An America's Best Value Inn and Suites in the 19500 block of Interstate 45 North is seen Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016, in Shenandoah. Shenandoah Police Department officers responded to a call of a possible suicide ... more

A Magnolia man who shot and killed a teenage girl inside a Shenandoah hotel, then told police it was a suicide, pleaded guilty Thursday to a murder charge.

Ryan Ray Moore, 23, probably will spend the next 40 years in prison for shooting Hayley Farr, 19, inside America's Best Value Inn in the 19500 block of Interstate 45 North on Nov. 25, 2016. Moore also will serve a five-year sentence for trying to stash the gun he used to shoot Farr and a 10-year sentence for a previous unrelated home burglary, although those sentences will run at the same time as the 40-year sentence for murder.

Shenandoah police officers responded to a call from Moore reporting a suicide during early morning hours. Once on scene, officers found Farr dead of a gunshot wound.

However, officers believed Farr's fatal wound was not self-inflicted.

Shenandoah detectives quickly determined Farr did not shoot herself and called upon Montgomery County Sheriff's detectives to further investigate the shooting. That investigation led prosecutors to charge Moore and 22-year-old Brandan Douglas Rains, who allegedly helping Moore hide the gun.

Chief Prosecutor Donna Berkey told The Courier she believes Farr's family is satisfied with Moore's sentence.

"Her mother gave a victim-impact statement," Berkey said. "It's my belief everybody is comfortable with the resolution of the case."

Moore's Conroe-based attorney, Darin Ray, said Moore took responsibility for his actions by pleading to all of the charges against him.

"Ryan regrets his actions and regrets what happened," Ray said. "He wishes he could take it back."

Rains' third-degree felony tampering with physical evidence charge is still pending in Judge Lisa Michalk's 221st state District Court. He's facing up to 10 years in prison and a possible fine up to $10,000.